The conversion of Saul

¶ … nine stages of the health cycle in Paul's ministry. Other than catalyst, what other leadership style did Paul possess? Explain what it meant in the circular community for Paul to hold the coats of those who stoned Stephen.

At the beginning of Paul's ministry, Paul was not a follower of Jesus, but a persecutor of the early Christian community. He stood by during the stoning of Stephen and guarded the coats of the men who killed this Apostle. However, Paul became an Apostle himself. Because of his conversion on the Road to Damascus, when he was literally blinded by the light, Paul changed his life. In his former life he was known as Saul. "Saul, who was also called Paul" was restored in his vision, and embarked upon a new existence (Acts 13: 9). His spiritual journey came 'full circle' and Christians, in the spirit of forgiveness, accepted him despite his past transgressions.

Thus Paul was redeemed, and became the greatest preacher to the gentiles. "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law" (I Corinthians 9: 19-21). Paul sought to bring Jesus to people outside of his immediate community. His words proved to be equally as important as those of the other apostles in shaping how Christians conceived of themselves and proved to be particularly influential upon shaping the direction of Protestant Christianity, the 'religion of the book' of Martin Luther that stressed justification by faith alone.

As part of his role as a preacher, Paul also took an active role in defining what constituted true Christianity. He preached to the gentiles that it was not necessary to convert to Judaism, that all were one in Christ Jesus. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3: 28). He set standards of morality for the new community in his letters to the Galatians, Roman, and Corinthian communities, amongst others. For example, in condemning social divisions in church during the Christian Mass he said: "I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!" (I Corinthians 11:18-22)

Paul fulfilled many leadership roles in his ministry. First and foremost, he was a personal example of the goodness of Christ, and the possibility of redemption. Secondly, he was a theorist in terms of how he created a new way for non-Jews to participate in the salvation offered by Jesus -- he interpreted the scriptures of Moses in a spiritual fashion, rather than in a literal fashion and said in Galatians that now all Christians would be justified, not through circumcision, but through faith in Christ alone. He was flexible enough to comport himself according to Mosaic Law amongst the Jews, and to transform Christianity into a universal religion, based upon the needs of gentiles.